


Babysitting

by intoxicatedcinnamon (orphan_account)



Category: Free!
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-06 22:33:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5433257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/intoxicatedcinnamon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto's parents are out for a whole day, so Haru comes over to help with the twins. FLUFF WARNING SO MUCH FLUFF</p>
            </blockquote>





	Babysitting

**Author's Note:**

> I think I might have broken my own sweet tooth with the sheer amount of domesticity in here. Hope you enjoy! Please leave kudos and comments if you enjoyed it hehe
> 
> I might come back and edit this sometime this or next week

"Har-" "Haru!!" Ran and Ren stampede out through the open door and throw themselves at Haru's legs, shrieking excitedly. "Haru, Onii-chan said you're cooking dinner later, can we have nuggets?" Ran requests, tugging at his pants pocket. Haru raises his eyebrows to consult Makoto with a mildly questioning look, only to see him suppress a smile, his eyes widened, head shaking and mouthing "No". Kneeling down and patting the little girl's hair gently, Haru says "Mmm... How about we have something else, Ran? We can go to the market later and look for proper chicken instead okay? You have to help me find the best one!" Feeling important, Ran nods enthusiastically before running down the hallway to rejoin her twin.

Making sure the kids are well out of sight, Haru stands back up and closes the distance between himself and Makoto. He cups his chin, giving him a short, sweet kiss on the lips. Haru is forever grateful for the (admittedly not that spectacular but still existent) growth spurt that had hit him in the last year of high school which had pulled his height up to Makoto's eye level. "Hey" he whispers with a small sideways smile when they pull apart, his deep blue eyes brimming with concern. Makoto just replies by pulling him close by his neck and kissing him again, making a little happy noise at the end. "Thanks for coming down today Haru, I know the weather is perfect for swimming but those two..."  Makoto runs his hand through his fringe to push it up and lets out a sigh. "It's not that I don't love them, y’know… but they can be so rowdy sometimes I get a headache." Haru draws the taller boy into his arms again, holding him by his waist and letting him slump, rubbing his back. "They're both our responsibility remember?" Haru gently replies, fondly tracing his jaw and chin with his lips. A year ago, Makoto was apologising for taking up Haru's afternoon, but time has taught them that love isn't all candy floss romance in a world of their own. They carry each other’s realities some days, and Haru is glad Makoto finally learned that it works both ways without overthinking it every single time. “What do we have for lunch?” Haru asks, back to his matter-of-fact self once Makoto lets go of him. “Uhh, mum made sandwiches before she left, there’s probably a few with pickled saba for you Haru.” Makoto replies, a teasing smile brightening his face when Haru’s eyes widen just a little bit and he pulls him off to the kitchen without another word to check.

They gather the twins and herd them out of the door to the market where Haru tries to give Makoto some time off by involving both of them in shopping for dinner ingredients. There is a small tussle about what vegetables they will have and whether or not fruits are equally as good as vegetables (kinda) and whether they could just eat apples instead of vegetables for lunch (no). Makoto rounds up the back just to make sure they don’t leave Ran or Ren behind, amusing himself with Haru’s ability to reason with them like he would with anyone else older. The raven-haired boy seems to soften and let down his guard, smiles coming easily and staying in his eyes. Summer is beautiful, with leaves whispering happily in the breezes that sweep the ocean-side town, and the sun shining just enough to make it comfortably warm.

The afternoon passes peacefully, with the twins traipsing in once in a while to give them bentos served in pots from their make-believe restaurant or show them drawings (which are always enthusiastically praised). Haru and Makoto try to get some assignments done but the temptation to slack off is hard to ignore and they land up leaning against the wall under the window enjoying the light wind fluttering through the curtains and talking more than reading, making up for all the days when they were too tired to do more than sleep in the same bed. “So… your coach’s wife still come with afternoon tea for him?” Makoto asks with a laugh and sideway glance while discussing Haru’s training. “Oh man, she comes with the works” Haru answers, chuckling quietly with a hint of sarcasm. “You know how it used to be just like in a bag?” he sets his paper aside. “She’s upgraded okay, there’s this small white basket, and she lines it with cloth and there’s biscuits and a thermos of _ocha_ … and he just sits there under the umbrella for half an hour absurdly pleased with her domesticity.” Cupping his hands and setting imaginary thermoses around while half-rolling his eyes, Haru looks so relaxed that Makoto can’t resist having some fun while he’s at it.

“Whoa… so you’re gonna do that for me when we get married, huh Haru-chan? When I’m teaching.”

“Like hell I will, Tachibana Makoto.” Haru retorts back with a light shove to Makoto’s shoulder, his eyes narrowed and almost metallic but with no malice in his tone. “You’ll get fat anyway, like my coach.” Makoto just laughs again and throws an arm around Haru to pull him close to his side. The smaller boy doesn’t protest, cuddling into Makoto’s embrace and holding his notes with one hand while using the other to wrap around him while the curtains blow softly with every breeze that drifts across. “Also, I’m not the wife.” Haru mutters, his silky hair brushing Makoto’s chin as he rubs the taller boy’s t-shirt shirt between his thumb and forefinger. Green eyes widen, and Makoto bends his back to give him a full hug, his legs hooking above Haru’s knees. “Course not…” he says softly into Haru’s ear. “You’ll be my husband, my sexy, handsome husband when I marry you Haru-chan.” Haru’s lips curve against his neck, and he tightens his hold on Makoto’s waist _._ “You’re mine,” he says seriously, eyebrows knitting together and that’s the most Makoto has had the pleasure of Haru admitting for a while. “Yours, Haru-chan” he agrees happily, “I’ll even take your name if you want.” He knows what’s coming next. “Don’t be ridiculous.”  

Haru takes over the cooking in a few hours, tying Mrs. Tachibana’s checkered apron with around his waist with the nonchalant air of an expert. Makoto stands by the fridge and tries to be useful, but Haru shoos him to the table easily, his hands never pausing as he says “Just talk to me Mako, that’s good enough.” _Mako_. Makoto holds back a smile as he remembers a morning two months after they started dating, when Haru stirred beside him mumbling “Mako…” and Makoto had demanded that he call him that once in a while instead of his full name and Haru tilting his head away processing the change and deeming it acceptable. It sounds like _closeness_ and _comfort_ and Makoto wants to always be that for Haru.

"Hey I wanted that piece!" Ren complains, glaring at his sister. Makoto immediately shifts his gaze to his bowl, ready to do what he does just about every time this happens. Before he can act though, Haru quickly grasps his chopsticks and transfers his piece of omelette into Ren's bowl. Kindly but firmly, he says "There, now each of you have one okay? Be good and finish your dinner." Pacified for now, the twins continue their chatter about the sparrows they saw at the market earlier. Under the table, Makoto twines his fingers around Haru's and the blue-eyed boy bumps his knee against his boyfriend’s with a small smile. It’s the little things like these that make every day feel fresh and new, and makes Makoto feel like there's so much to learn about his lover in his best friend. 

Chasing the twins to wash up and prepare for bed is much easier than usual. The outing in the morning had tired them out, and soon, they’re tucked in with kisses from Makoto and conciliatory pats on the head from Haru.

"Do you wanna game for a bit?" Makoto whispers. “Yeah okay, you pick” Haru says, closing the door of the twins’ room. They pad softly to the living room and Haru assumes his usual place on the sofa, on the left side. Makoto takes a while to figure out the mess of wires at the back that comes as a result of a five-people family constantly pulling things out and plugging new things in. After finding Portal 2 in the drawer (inside a Donkey Kong case—he’s blaming his mum and the twins… and okay, maybe himself for even leaving the disc inside and naively believing it would be safe), rummaging around the TV and locating the controllers, Makoto stretches his arm back to hand one to Haru but no one takes it. Puzzled, he turns around, "Haru-"

He has fallen asleep leaning against the wall, his head turned and fringe falling into his closed eyes, peacefully breathing in and out. His lips are pink and although slightly chapped, look utterly adorable. Pressing a kiss to the side of his head, Makoto shakes Haru gently by his shoulder. "Haru-chan, Haru..." When his eyes flutter open and squint at the light, Makoto can't resist his confused, tousled look and kisses him on his cheek. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

Sleepy Haru is all loose-limbed and pliant, agreeably changing into one of Makoto’s shirts and passing his own which smells like the kitchen to Makoto to throw into the washing basket. He summons up enough willpower to start brushing his teeth, but slides down the tiled walls to sit on the bathroom floor, and lean his head back. With his eyes still heavy and half-opened, he stretches out his legs to wrap one slim calf around Makoto’s ankle like an imp and keeps it there while he slowly moves his toothbrush. He can hear the crickets more clearly in Makoto’s house than his, and their rhythmic chirping is sending him into a daze again. Haru looks up to see Makoto brushing his own teeth in utmost concentration and he looks so _manly_ in a loose singlet and blue boxers that Haru stops his own lazy motions to stare. Makoto realises the lack of movement from the floor and prods Haru’s side with his foot. “Eh Haru… hurry up.” Haru gives him a look that retorts _you’re not the boss of me Makoto_ then hauls himself up and ducks under Makoto to spit toothpaste out into the sink with an utter lack of finesse.

“Haru!” Makoto’s alarmed cry sounds after he washes out his own mouth. “Don’t do that, I almost got mine on your head!” Haru grabs the other end of the towel that Makoto is holding to dry his face, and deadpans “You said to hurry. I hurried.” Leaving Makoto to shake his head woefully into the dry end, he turns back to look at him from the bathroom door. “Now come to bed.”  

Haru turns the light off and gets the extra blanket from Makoto’s cupboard that they reserve for the times he stays over because they both hog the covers and get annoyed in the morning. His boyfriend is already waiting for him, looking more beautiful in the moonlight streaming in from the window that highlights the dips and curves of his shoulders and arms. Shifting to let Haru clamber over his legs to sink into the side of the bed next to the wall, he covers his eyes with his forearm and whispers lowly, in the voice they reserve for times they’re completely alone at night, talking themselves to sleep. “Thanks for today, Haru-chan.” And Haru doesn’t need to reply, simply reaching over to pull Makoto’s blanket from his chest to cover his shoulders.

 


End file.
